Table of Contents
- What is the corridor of uncertainty in soccer?
- The corridor of uncertainty explained
- Who coined the term “corridor of uncertainty?”
- Recap: The corridor of uncertainty in soccer
Yesterday I was watching the top-of-the-table EPL clash between Newcastle United and Arsenal when I heard the commentator say: “Murphy has fired that right into the corridor of uncertainty.”
While I knew precisely what he meant, it dawned on me that not all American soccer fans – particularly those of you who are new to the beautiful game – would agree!
So, in this article, I explain what the corridor of uncertainty in soccer is to ensure you don’t get confused when watching live soccer going forward!
What is the corridor of uncertainty in soccer?
The corridor of uncertainty is an area of the soccer pitch between the last line of defense and the goalkeeper. If a player makes a cross that goes into this area, he has played it into the corridor of uncertainty, causing potential panic amongst the defending team.
The corridor of uncertainty explained
If you watch a lot of live soccer, you have probably heard a commentator refer to the corridor of uncertainty, as it’s an idiom that perfectly describes the panic that can occur when the ball enters this area of the field.
The corridor of uncertainty is between the six-yard box and the eighteen-yard line. The phrase is used when a wide player crosses the ball into this area and it travels between the goalkeeper and the last line of defense.
The reason for the uncertainty is that nobody is sure who should deal with the ball. Should the goalkeeper rush of their line and claim the ball? Or should the defenders drop off and make a clearance?
Poachers and other forwards can take advantage of the uncertainty caused when the ball is crossed into this area and may find themselves with space to fire the ball past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
If you’re keen to pose an attacking threat to your opponents, you can try to work the ball into the corridor of uncertainty in soccer, as it can lead to panic and disorganisation amongst your opponents!
Who coined the term “corridor of uncertainty?”
Although the term is regularly used in soccer, the corridor of uncertainty is actually a cricket phrase and it was coined by legendary English cricketer Jeffrey Boycott. He first used it when commentating on England’s tour of the West Indies in 1990.
He used it to describe the area of the pitch on which a cricket ball can pitch after it has been released by the bowler. It leads to uncertainty for the batsmen – if they leave the ball it could hit the wicket, but if they play it they could edge it to the wicket keeper. Also, if they attempt to block the ball, they could be caught leg-before-wicket.
Boycott is a big soccer fan so he will be pleased that his turn of phrase is used by soccer commentators, even if the use of the term has changed from its original meaning. The term is so synonymous with his career that Boycott published an autobiography entitled “The Corridor of Uncertainty.”
Recap: The corridor of uncertainty in soccer
There are so many different phrases and idioms used by soccer commentators to describe different instances on the field, and the corridor of uncertainty is one of them.
It’s a term borrowed from cricket after Jeffrey Boycott coined it in 1990 to describe the area in which a cricket ball can land in front of a batsman.
So, if you tune into a soccer game in the near future, you now know what the commentator means when they use this particular phrase to describe what’s happening!